Hungry for Success? SNAP Timing, High-Stakes Exam Performance, and College Attendance

Abstract

Monthly government transfer programs create cycles of consumption that track the timing of benefit receipt. If these cycles correspond to critical moments for student learning and achievement, the timing of transfers may have important long-run implications for low-income students. In this paper we exploit state-level variation in the staggered timing of nutritional assistance benefit issuance to analyze effects on academic achievement. Using individual-level data from a large national college admission exam, we find taking this high-stakes exam during the last two weeks of the SNAP benefit cycle reduces test scores and lowers the probability of attending a four-year college. (JEL H75, I18, I21, I23, I38)

Short-Term Labor Supply Response to the Timing of Transfer Payments: Evidence from the Snap Program

“…SNAP is the largest federal nutrition assistance program in the US, providing access to food to more than 40 million low-income Americans each month in 2021 (Center on Budget 3Gennetian et al ( 2016), Cotti et al (2018), and Gassman-Pines and Bellows (2018) find an increase in student disciplinary infractions and decreased test scores at the end of the SNAP cycle. Bond et al (2022) also find decreased test scores at the end of the SNAP benefit cycle. Carr and Packham (2019) show a raise in theft occurrences in the third and fourth week since benefit distribution.…”

Government Shutdown and Snap Disbursements: Effects on Household Expenditures

“…5The literature also reports lower tests scores (Bond et al 2022), more emergency room visits (Cotti et al 2020) and higher rates of property crime (Carr and Packham 2019) just prior to receiving SNAP benefits.…”

Government Shutdown and SNAP Disbursements: Effects on Household Expenditures

“…While there is a large literature on expected changes in income, less is known about the effects of unexpected changes in the timing of income. An exception is Baker and Yannelis (2017) who exploit variation in the timing of paychecks that occurred due to the 2013 federal shutdown and show that furloughed government workers experienced temporary decreases 3The literature also reports lower tests scores (Bond et al 2022), higher rates of domestic violence (Carr and Packham 2020), more emergency room visits (Cotti et al 2020) and higher rates of property crime (Carr and Packham 2019) just prior to receiving monthly SNAP benefits. in consumption.…”